Rairoad-track.



VILLIAM- GOLDIE, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAlLRoAD-TRACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 1906.

Application filed April 24, 1905. Serial No. 257,138.

To cI/ZZ whom, t 790/001/ concern: f

Be it-known lthat I, WILLIAM GOLDIE, a

`resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Tracks; and I do hereby'declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention vrelates .to railroad-tracks, its object being to provide a railroad-track of suflicient stiffness to carry the loads to which such tracks are at present subjected through the increase .of Weight y-of locomotives and the cars and loads carried thereon.

It also has for its object a system of railroad-trackin which the bearing of the track up on the ties is extended vout for considerably a greater width than the usual rail, thereby giving a greater distribution of the load, and

in which a greater angle of lateral resistance is obtained on curves and in like positions.

It also has for its object the. provision of a` track in which the rail-head or direct loadcarrying -portion can be more highly compacted and formed of a higher carbon or harder steel than the heavy rails of the presentday, and therefore b e of much greater wearing capacity, while such rail may, if desired, be made reversible to provide double wearing-surface, and in this` way increase the lifeof the track.

As the weight and speed of trains have increased the railroads have endeavored to provide a stiff enoughl and strong enough track to sustain the same by the employment of heavy and higher rails having wider baseflanges to rest upon the ties but on account ofthe great bulk of'metal in the rail-heads and the development of the wider rail flanges orbases, practical difliculties have been met with in this class of rails.. In the first place in forming the rails sufficient work was not appliedl in the rolls to the rail-head to compact it to any great depth in rolling, as is the case with smaller rail-sections, and after rolling the great bulk of metal in the rail-head in cooling acted toanneal the same and leave the head soft and liable to great wear under the heavy loads and high speed of the train. In thecooling of these rails it was also found that as the flanges forming the rail-base were rolled thin andwide they cooled much more rapidly than the rail-,heads and in rails of such heavy section led to initial cracking at the edges of the rail-base and caused internal strains in the rail-body and increased the liacooling. This could only be removed by straightening under presses when cold, and such straightening was liable to increase the internal strain and lead to cracking of the rail or cause the development of cracks inthe rail-b ase-the main cause of brokenrails. In the endeavor to provide a rail of greater Wearing properties the carbon and. manganese have been increased to give greater hardness; but it has been found that in so doing there was greater liability of rail breakage and'accident arising from the internal strain onthe rail-body leading to initial cracking ofthe base, which under the heavy loads would quickly extend throughout the rail-body. One of the most difficult problems .presented to the railroad engineer has therefore been to provide a stiff railroad-track amply sufficient to bear the load and of high wearing quality and free from great liability of cracking and one that can be easily laid and repaired. The present inventionl is believed'to meet thes requirements.

The invention consists incertain improvements in the Arails and in the combination therewith of a continuous rail-supporting base-bar, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a cross-section of a railroad track-rail, showing the preferred form of base-bar and rail, the parts being practically full size. Fig. 2 is a cross-section showing the invention in another form and with another form of rail-base. Fig. 3 is a cross-section showing another form of base-bar and illustrating the method of coupling the rails. Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of a portion oftrack, illustrating the invention. Fig. 5 is aside view, partly broken away, illustrating the coupling of the sections and base-bar; andFig. 6 is a cross-section also-illustrating such coupling. The invention is illustrated in connection with the use of wooden cross-ties, though it may of course be employed with any suitable character of cross-ties. It is shown in Fig. 5 with the cross-ties l, of the Ordinar size, extending under theA track-body at al points except where the joints are formed, as illustrated in connection with the cross-tie '2. Supported on these cross-ties is the continuously-running lrail-supporting base-bar 3, which is formed of sections and which sections preferably meet upon the enlarged cross-ties, as illustrated, but out of line with ,the joint of the rail, such sections .being conbility to cause the rails `to camber or curve in IOO IIO

nected to each other by joints or coupling devices, as above described. The rail-supporting base-bars 3 are rolled sections, preferably made of considerably greater width than the bases of the ordinary rails, the basebars in the full size of track, as illustrated in Fig. l, having a bearing-surface upon the ties extending in width for about nine (9) inches, this giving such extended surface upon the tie that an extended and greater distribution of the load carried on the track is obtained, while the outer point of support is carried such distance from the inner edge of the railhead that comparatively little leverage is brought upon the rail and rocking thereof and consequent wear of the tie largely prevented. This base-bar may either rest directly upon the tie Without cutting any kerfs or seats therein, or it may be arranged with downwardly-projecting portions, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, to take into suitable kerfs or grooves in the tie-body, and

' thereby provide a positive means for holding y cured to the ties.

the track to gage, as described in Letters Patent No. 7 58,523, granted to me April 26, 1904. The base-bar may, however, be held very securely in place upon the tie of ordinary smooth surface by spiking or woodscrews, as hereinafter described. The basebar can be rolled to shape, and it is preferably formed as illustrated with the hollow raised ribs 4, which provide several vertical web portions 5 to add to the stiffness of the track structure and also reduce the weight of the ribs 4 and provide for bolting of the fastening devices, while beyond the same are the outwardly-extending tread-fianges 6, through which it is spiked or otherwise se- The base-bar has in the central portion thereof the hollow seat 7 between the ribs 4, corresponding in shape to the rail-base and enveloping the said base, the upwardly-extending ribs 4 making it possible to provide a seat for the rail-base sufficiently deep to take in the entire base and also to provide means for securing to said ribs the clips 8 or other suitable fastening devices taking over the upper faces of the rail-base and holding it within the seat 7.

As shown in the drawings, the hollow seat 7 is formed of as great width at its top as at its base, being either formed with iiaring edge walls corresponding to the tapering edge faces of the rail-base, as shown in Figs. 1

and 3, or with practically vertical edge walls corresponding to the vertical edge faces of the rail-base, as shown in Fig. 2. This provides for the proper seating of the rail-base within the base-bar, while the rail is seated in the base-bar by a direct downward movement and raised therefrom by a direct upward movement, giving a more'perfect seating of the rail in the base-bar and the proper binding of the rail-base in the bar.

As shown in the drawings, the ribs 4 are formed hollow, the hollow portions 9 thereof providing suitable means for the securingbolts 10, the bolt-heads 11 fitting within the hollows of the ribs and the bolts extending up through the saine, holding the clips 8 in ace.

p While my invention may be employed with any suitable form of rail, I prefer to einploy a double-headed rail, as illustrated, and to form the seat 7 in the base-bar corresponding to the shape of the rail-head, so that the rail may be reversed and give double the wear. I also prefer to employ the rail-section illustrated in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, as set forth in an application of even date herewith, Serial N o. 257,135, in which the rail-head is formed wide and thin, the rail having a symmetrically-formed head, which, as illustrated, is approximately three times as wide as its thickness, such construction giving the advantages that while the rail has suflieient metal to impart to-it great stiffness and loadcarrying capacity, yet that in the rolling of the rail a much greater compaetness of metal is obtained because of the thinning of the rail-head, the condensing of the metal through the work applied in developing the head extending farther into the rail-head, which imparts greater toughness and fineness of structure to resist wear, while the head itself, being of thinner body, will cool more rapidly after rolling and the annealing effect taking place in rail-heads of the regular standard section of great Weight will be largely avoided.

Where the rail is formed double-headed as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or where the regular rail-base is changed in form to bring it approximately close to the section of the head, as in Fig. 2, there is the further advantage that because the head and base correspond substantially in shape the one to the other and the very thin iianged portions of the ordinary rail-base are avoided the rail will cool symmetrically and without great internal strain and will require little, if any, straightening, so that it is not liable to crack when in use, and the rail-body can be formed with a higher proportion of carbon and manganese and be therefore of much higher wearing properties. In the double-headed rail. illustrated the heads 12 are, as shown, formed of symmetrical sections, so that the rail can be used in any desired position, having the top face at a slight downward incline from the center of the rail-head, as illustrated at 13, and curving them to the side faces 14, which are made slightly sloping, while the rail-heads 12 are made not more than one-third the thickness of their width, these heads being connected together by the web portion 15. A heavy rail-section of this general construction may be formed without imparting too great height thereto, while giving in the rail itself great stiffness of body IOO llO

and great load-sustaining qualities. At the same time such general form of rail-head can be employed to advantage in connection with the rail-supporting base-bar above described, as the head will fit neatly into the hollow seat 7, that hollow seat being made corresponding in shape thereto, having the slightly .sloping faces 16, while the base portion 17 thereof is formed symmetrical and on practically the same lines as ythe top face of the rail-head, and the rail-head in fitting in said seat becomes practically wedged therein, so that even without any fastening devices it will hold within the seat under the strain of the passing train with little or no liability of rising under thev leverage action thereon. The rail-heads, as shown, have also the slightly-inclined inner faces 18, and the clips 8 extend over the same, as illustrated, and act to secure the rails within the base-bars, a much stronger hold upon the rail-base being thus obtained than could be obtained with the ordinary spike. As illustrated in Fig. 4' these fastening devices, such as the clips 8, can be -easily secured in place in the spaces between the ties, and they provide efficient means for holding the rail within the basebars. by any suitable form of joint, such as the j oint-plates 19, secured together by bolts 20, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

To prevent creeping of the rail upon the base-bar, I place clips or fastening devices 8 at each end of the fisheplate, the inwardlyprojecting lips 21 of the clips extending on each side of .the joint-plate and holding the parts in proper longitudinal relation. It may be desired to employ in connection with the base-bar and rail a slight cushioning means within the seat 7. For that purpose I mayv employ a thin sheet or layer of felt, wood, or other like cushioning means, as at 25. This is generally unnecessary, though where a double-headed rail is employed and the rail-head reversed, as above described, it

- may be desirable to employ-the same for proper seating of the raili-n the rail-base.

In Fig. 2 I have illustratedl another form of base upon the rail, this base being a modification of the ordinary rail base of the American section-rail. In it the railbase is reduced in width and thickened in body, so as to correspond more nearly to the rail-head, and as such rail-base fits within the rail-supporting bar and is held by the clips therein, so that the rail and its base-bar are practically one section and the base-bar extends over a large surface of the tie the lateral or leverage suitable way. It will generally only be necessary to spike or screw these bars in line The rails themselves may be connected with each other upon the same tie; but, as

-illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the hollow vlongitudinal seats 9 may be utilized for the pur-v pose of uniting the two base-bar sections. Fitting within such hollow grooves are the coupling-bars 26, extending across between two base-bar sections, these coupling-bars being tapped at suitable intervals to receive the screw-bolts 27and so bind them together. In case it is desired to place a clip or fastening device to hold the rail and basebar together at this point the regular clips 8 may be secured in place by the bolts 27, as illustrated in Fig. 5. As above stated, to provide a wide bearing-face of the base-plate upon the ties they are provided with the outwardly-extending flanges 6, and, as illustrated in the drawings, these flanges provide means for spiking the base-plates to the tie, any suitable form of spike or wood-screw 28 being employed for that purpose and the flanges 6 being punched to receive the same. In addition to this the base-plate may be formed as illustrated in Fig. 2, where the seat portion 7 is carried below the level of the flanges 6 and enters into a wide kerf or seat 29, formed therefor in the tie, or the entire base-plate may be let down into the tie, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, or that baseplate may have a downwardly-projecting rib central of the seat portion 7, as at 30, fitting into a narrower kerf 31, formed in the tie. In any such way the track may be held in proper alinement.

In the use of the track above described the weight of the train is sustained not only by therail itself, which if formed of the sections illustrated has great load-sustaining capacity; but it is further supported by the baseplate, which in addition to its thickness is added to in vertical strength by means of the rib portions 4 5 with their webs, the vertical portions of which act to brace or truss the rail-body and largely increase its loadecarrying capacity. As the train is passing over the track the load brought upon the rail is distributed by the base-plateto the ties, and because of the great width of the base-plate itself a much more perfect distribution of the load upon the ties can be obtained than with any track formed of a single rail, and there# fore liability to the cutting of the ties under the load is largely overcome.

As the rail and continuous base-bar are thus combined and united through the seat enveloping the base, they operate substantially as one rail, and to the stiffness of the rail-body is added the stiffness of the vertical portions of the plate, together with the fiat body portions thereof, so that the stiffness of the track itself is immensely increased and the weight of the train or load is distributed over a much larger portion of the track, and being sustained by such extended portion of IOC the track liability to disturb the ballast is largely overcome and the rocking of the ties, leading to the loosening thereof, is practically prevented, so that repair of track from the ordinary causes where the rail itself yields under the load it carries is practically done away with. The track also gives greater resistance to lateral or leverage strain, because the rail-base is firmly held throughout its length by the supporting-bar, and Where the rail-base is secured within its seat, so that it cannot rise, liability of the rolling of the rail is reduced, while where the double-headed rail or the rail of the structure of Fig. 2 is employed in fitting in the seat of the supporting-bar the rail is firmly held against such action. 4They are also enabled to resist such strain where the wide and thin rail-head illustrated is employed, because the load is carried closer to the inner edge of the rail-base, being carried about centrally of the rail-head, sok that the weight of the train has a greater tendency to hold down the inner portion of the rail-base, and so hold the rail in position on the tie and less tendency to spread or force the rail-head outwardly under the lateral strain in passing around curves or in like positions.

Another very great advantage of the invention is found in the fact that where the rail is so firmly held in its supporting basebar the base-bar can be made of soft ductile steel of great toughness and strength such as will resist any tendency to fracture, while the rail itself can be made with considerablyhigher percentages of carbon, manganese, or other hardening elements, and its hardness and consequent Wearing qualities largely increased without fear of accident, first, because the character of strain leading to the breaking of the rail is not liable to be brought upon it, and, second, because if it does break it will be so securely held within the base-bar that there will be little liability to serious accident. l

No claim is made in this application for the upper or main rail formed of a head, web and base of relatively hard or high-carbon steel, having high wearing qualities, and a continuously underrunning railsupporting base-bar, formed of a tough lowcarbon steel and having in its upper face a seat corresponding to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower face and edge portions of the rail-base, nor to the employment of a double-headed rail with a continuously underrunning railsupporting base-bar, having a seat corresponding in shape to such end portion and enveloping the lower face and edge portions thereof but not engaging the rail above the rail-base, as these form the subject-matter of a divisional application filed by me November 15, 1905, Serial No. 287,493.

What I claim is- 1. In a railroad-track, the combination with the upper or main rail formed of a head, web and base, of a continuous underrunning rail-supporting base-bar having in its upper face a seat of as great width at its top as at its base and corresponding to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower face and edge portions of the rail-base, and. fastening devices extending from the supporting-bar over the upper face of the railbase.

2. The combination of a rail having a web portion and head and base of approximately the same wid th and thickness, the head being niade wide and thin and the base portion having thickened edge portions corresponding substantially to the edge portions of the railhead, and a continuous underrunning railsupporting base-bar having in its upper face a seat corresponding to and adapted to receive and envelop the thickened. base portion of the rail. y

3. The combination of an upper or niain rail, of a continuous underrunning rail-supporting base-bar having in its upper face a seat corresponding in shape to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, said base-bar having vertical web portions beyond said seat to increase the stiffness of the track structure.

4. The combination of an upper or inain rail, a continuous underrunning rail-supporting base-bar having in its upper face a seat corresponding in shape to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, said base-bar having vertical web portions beyond said seat to increase the stiffness of the track structure, and horizontal extensions beyond said web portions to rest upon the tie.

5. In a railroad-track, the combination with the upper or main rail, of a continuous underrunning rail-supporting base-bar having in its upper face a seat corresponding to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, said base-bar having longitudinal grooves on its under face formed by vertical web portions beyond the rail-seat.

6. In a railroad-track, the combination with the upper or main rail, of a continuous underrunning rail-supporting base-bar having in its upper face a seat corresponding to and adapted to receive and. envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, and fastening devices extending over the rail-base to hold it within said seat, said base-bar having horizontal portions extending beyond the seat for thc rail-base, and forming nieans for securing said fastening devices to the rail-base.

7. In a railroad-track, the combination with the upper or main rail, of a continuous underrunning rail-supporting base-bar hav- TOO ITO

ing in its upper face a seat corresponding to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, said base-bar having horizontal portions beyond the seat for the rail-base, and fastening devices secured to said horizontal portions and extending over the upper face of the rail-base.

8. In a railroad-track, the combination with the upper or main rail, ofa continuous underrunning rail-supporting base-bar having in its upper face a seat corresponding to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, said base-bar having horizontal extensions beyond the seat for the' rail-base, clips extending over the rail-base to secure it to the base-bar, and bolts passing through said horizontal extensions and clips to secure them to the base-bar. v

9. In a railroad-track, the combination with the upper or main rail, of a continuous underrunning rail-supporting base-bar having in its upper face a seat corresponding to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, said base-bar having longitudinal grooves on its under face beyond the seat for the rail-base, clips extending over the upper face of the rail-base, and bolts having their heads seated in said longitudinal grooves and extending through the base-bar and clips to connect the clips to the base-bar.

10. In a railroad-track, the combination with the upper or main rail, of a continuous underrunning rail-supporting base-bar having in its upper face a seat corresponding to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, the sections of the base-bars being united by suitable couplings lecured thereto outside the seat for the rail- 11. In a railroad-track, the combination with the upper or main rail, of a continuous underrunning rail-supporting base-bar having in its upper face a seat corresponding to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, said base-bars having longitudinal grooves in their lower faces, and coupling-bars fitting within said longitudinal grooves and secured therein to connect the sections of the underrunning base-bar.

12. In a railroad-track, the combination with the upper or main rail, of a continuous underrunning rail-supporting base-bar having in its upper face a seat corresponding to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, said base-bars having longitudinal grooves in their lower faces, coupling-bars fitting within said longitudinal grooves, and screws passing through the basebars into said coupling-bars to unite the sections ofthe underrunning base-bar.

13. In a railroad-track, the combination with the upper or main rail, of a continuous underrunning rail-supporting base-bar having in its upper face a seat corresponding to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, said base-bars having longitudinal grooves in their lower faces, coupling-bars fitting within said longitudinal grooves, screws passing through the basebars into said coupling-bars to unite the sections of the underrunning base-bar, and clips held by said screws and extending above the upper face of the rail-base,

14. In a railroad-track, the combination with the upper or main rail, of a continuousl underrunning rail-supporting base-bar having in its upper face a-seat corresponding to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, joint-plates uniting the main-rail sections, and fastening devices connected to the base-bar and extending over the upper face of therail-base in line with said joint-plates and at the ends thereof to hold the rail and the rail-base against lony gitudinal movement with relation to each other.

15. The combination of railroad-ties having seats formed on the u per face thereof,

an upper or main rail, an al continuous underrunning rail-supporting 4base-bar having a seat corresponding in shape to and adapted to receive and envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, said seat forming a depressed portion of the base-bar which enters the seats formed in the cross-ties.

16. The combination of railroad-ties having seats formed on the upper face thereof, an upper or main rail, and a continuous underrunning rail-supporting base-bar having a seat corresponding in shape to and adapted lto receive and envelop the lower portion of the rail-base, said seat forming a depressed portion of the base-bar entering the seats formed in the cross-ties, and said base-bars having horizontal extensions beyond said seat resting on the cross-ties beyond the seats formed therein.

In testimony whereof I, the said WILLIAM GOLDIE, have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM GOLDIE.

Witnesses:

J AMEs I. KAY, ROBERT C. TOTTEN.

IOO 

